Columbus, Ohio's craft coffee scene

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Coffee fuels the entrepreneurial spirit of Ohio's capital city. On any given day, Columbus coffee shops are abuzz with activity, as seen here at Stauf's Coffee Roasters in the suburb of Grandview Heights. "Our goal is great quality, true freshness and being part of the community," says Stauf's founder, Tom Griesemer. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Griesemer roasts beans to order in a decades-old machine at Stauf's in Grandview Heights, the original of four Columbus-area locations. The shop offers 70 varieties of coffee a day from dozens of origins around the world. "Roasting is a balance of art and science to achieve different results from the same coffee," he says. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Kerry Reade samples an espresso at Cafe Brioso while on a coffee tour with Columbus Food Adventures. The tour has been offered monthly for six years and regularly sells out. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

The Columbus Coffee Experience is a self-guided tour created by Experience Columbus, the city's convention and visitor's bureau. Participants who obtain at least four stamps at the 17 participating shops earn a T-shirt. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Despite the words on a nearby street sign, downtown Columbus residents and workers find a warm welcome at Cafe Brioso, one of the city's top coffee roasters. Cafe Brioso opened its first location in 2001 with a breakfast and lunch menu and added this one in 2016, where the emphasis is on coffee. Cafe Brioso also offers business-to-business sales. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Cafe Brioso founder Jeff Davis prepares a mug of coffee at one of his downtown Columbus shops. Davis roasts beans from small co-ops and micro-lots in Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil and Peru, offering various styles of pour-over coffee that change throughout the week, as well as single-origin espresso. "I just want to buy the best coffee possible and minimally handle it and share it with everyone," Davis says. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

A bag of Luck Bros' Coffee rests on a shelf at the company's roasting facility on Columbus' west side. The coffee is served at a handful of local businesses including the Luck Bros' retail shop in Grandview Heights. "The coffee bean itself has more flavor compounds than other food that we consume, more than chocolate or wine," says Andy Luck, who founded Luck Bros' in 2006 with his brother, Ed. "There's really interesting stuff in there." Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Andy Luck of Luck Bros' Coffee takes the temperature of a sample of roasting beans from a small farm in Costa Rica. His goal is to lightly roast them until they're the color of cinnamon. "I'm a weirdo," he proclaims during a Columbus Food Adventures coffee tour. "I don't fit in with all the big roasters who do all the dark roasting. I don't fit in with the trendy roasters who are buying the stuff that I do and make that dark. I just do my thing." Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Central Ohio native Greg Ubert founded coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea in 1991 before the specialty coffee business had exploded. Now, Crimson Cup roasts 1 million pounds a year, supplying more than 350 independent coffee houses, grocery stores, universities and restaurants. Crimson Cup also trains entrepreneurs how to run coffee businesses. "Columbus has grown in a lot of different ways since we opened," Ubert says. "People come here from all over the world and elect to stay here, which brings in different perspectives and taste profiles. But there's always room for innovation." Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Brandon Bir with Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea conducts coffee cupping -- a way to assess different coffee profiles -- at the Crimson Cup Innovation Lab in the Columbus suburb of Bexley, Ohio. The lab is a space for consumers and coffee professionals to learn about the intricacies of coffee beans, flavors and preparation styles. Crimson Cup operates two coffee shops near Columbus but is best known for supplying shop owners in 35 states and Guam with coffee. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Opened in 2015, The Roosevelt Coffeehouse is a nonprofit shop that has donated $80,000 to charitable groups seeking to battle unclean water, hunger and human trafficking around the globe. It's housed in a reclaimed building in downtown Columbus and named after Franklin D. Roosevelt, the nation's 32nd president. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Frank Wright, who oversees Roosevelt's coffee program, fills a mug while chatting with Roosevelt owner Kenny Sipes. Roosevelt uses coffees from local roaster One Line Coffee as well as Stumptown Coffee Roasters of Portland, Ore. Of Roosevelt's efforts to promote charity, Sipes says, "We asked how can we mobilize a community around things that need to be changed, that we could finance? Coffee was the answer." Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Virginia Nunes Gutierrez stands outside Bottoms Up, a coffee shop and co-op in Columbus featuring drinks inspired by the Canary Islands, where Gutierrez, a native of Venezuela, lived for several years. Gutierrez co-owns the shop with her sister, Victoria Calderón. Proceeds fund local nonprofits and innovative ideas to reduce infant mortality in the Columbus neighborhood of Franklinton. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

An example of the Canary Islands-inspired coffee drinks at Bottoms Up is Leche y Leche, an espresso cut with steamed milk and sweetened condensed milk, served with a stirring stick. The more you stir it, the sweeter it gets. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Eric Obenauf (left) and Brett Gregory mug for the camera at Two Dollar Radio Headquarters, an indie bookstore, event space, bar and cafe in downtown Columbus. Obenauf founded Two Dollar Radio as an independent publishing company run out of his home in 2005. He and Gregory became co-owners and expanded the business last year. "We wanted to be part of the community," Obenauf says, and coffee seemed a natural part of that progression. "We always drink coffee." Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Two Dollar Radio Headquarters, which publishes a dozen independent books a year, serves One Line Coffee, which is roasted in Heath, Ohio, with plant-based milks. Fans include Daniel Handler, who wrote "A Series of Unfortunate Events" under the pen name Lemony Snicket. He also penned a limerick for Two Dollar Radio's menu. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

One Line Coffee's superb roasts are an outcome of its father-son owner team's dedication to tracing each cup of coffee back to the farm where its beans were cultivated. Mark and Dave Forman founded One Line in 2009 as a wholesale specialty coffee roaster, and now their coffee can be found at dozens of shops throughout Ohio, including two retail stores in Columbus. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Zedeeka Fulay prepares a pour-over coffee at One Line Coffee in the Short North Arts District, one of two retail locations in Columbus. The brewing technique involves pouring water over and through the coffee grounds to extract natural flavors. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Paul Johnson greets customers at Mission Coffee Co., where he's general manager at the spirited Short North Arts District shop, north of downtown Columbus. "There's a lot of up-and-coming and solidified shops," Johnson says of the coffee scene in Ohio's capital. "The bigger the craft culture gets, the better we all get." Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

N'dea Gordon draws an espresso at Mission Coffee Co., which offers a dozen varieties of blends sourced from bean farmers around the globe including Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Guatemala, Colombia, Kenya, Honduras and the Congo. Classes are taught on how to make the perfect home espresso at Mission's nearby roastery in Italian Village. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Husband-and-wife team Michelle Allen and Paul Freeth chat while plating chocolates at MMELO Boutique Confections, which they opened in Columbus in 2016. "I have a child's palate," says Allen, who uses natural ingredients, such as sugar cane and beets, to flavor and color her confections and coffee. "When my son was born I tried to find alternative ways to eat the things I really like." Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

MMELO Boutique Confections worked with Java Central Cafe and Roaster of nearby Westerville, Ohio, to create Moonless Night espresso, which complements the chocolates, marshmallows and tea cakes. A big hit is the Charcoal Honey Lavender drink, which includes a double shot of espresso and activated charcoal. "We drink it and smile at each other," says MMELO co-owner Michelle Allen. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

A Cubano con leche sits alongside a lox-topped bagel and a slice of avocado toast at Red Velvet Cafe in downtown Columbus. The espresso, made by One Line Coffee in Columbus, is prepared in a traditional moka pot. "The first extraction is whipped with sugar so it creates a thick paste that's like peanut butter," says Red Velvet owner Kizzia Yanga. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Kizzia Yanga says that not many people in central Ohio make coffee like she does. "It's common in areas with large Cuban populations," says Yanga, who hails from Manila, Philippines. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Jeff Excell opened Fox in the Snow Cafe with his wife, Lauren Culley, a few years ago, and it's garnered a faithful following among Columbus coffee drinkers. "I've been in coffee for 15 years, and from what I've seen, Columbus does coffee without pretension," Excell says. "Walk into any shop, and you're not going to get attitude. Coffee doesn't have to be alienating." Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Fox in the Snow Cafe is known for its excellent pastries in addition to well-made coffee, which is sourced from Tandem Coffee Roasters in Portland, Maine. "We prefer a natural processing method and coffee that's sourced from Ethiopia and Central America," says Excell. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Lovers of a great cup of coffee and some of the finest pastries in Columbus head for Pistacia Vera in the city's German Village neighborhood, or the historic North Market. Owned by siblings Spencer Budros and Anne Fletcher, Pistacia Vera is cherished for its French macarons, which draw patron Barbara Schaefer on a blustery winter day. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Sarah Lagrotteria is co-owner of Flowers & Bread, a bakery and cafe that also offers cooking and flower-arranging classes in the Columbus neighborhood of Clintonville. Flowers & Bread provides residents a place to relax with fine baked goods and coffee from a nearby roaster. "What makes a home? A loaf of bread, flowers on the table and a cup of coffee," Lagrotteria says. "We didn't want three things in our name, but the coffee is very integral." Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Flowers & Bread uses beans roasted by Backroom Roasters in Galena, Ohio, and the lattes and cappuccinos are made with milk from Snowville Creamery, a micro dairy located in Pomeroy, Ohio. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Customer Laura Megas departs Upper Cup Coffee Co., which began as a wholesale roasting operation in Columbus in 2010 before opening its first retail shop a year later in the city's redeveloping Old Towne East neighborhood. The roaster has a second location in the Columbus suburb of Gahanna, Ohio. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

"Being a community hub is really important to us," says Samson Habte (right), who co-owns Upper Cup Coffee Co. with his older brother, Micael Habte. Their family emigrated to Columbus in 1984 from Eritrea during the Ethiopian Civil War. "Sure, it's about coffee, but it's also about respect and how you're treated." Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

"Coffee is our culture," says Micael Habte of Upper Cup Coffee Co. "My mother roasted green coffee beans in a pan and ground them by hand." Now Micael does the roasting of Ethiopian beans several times a week in his shop, where he and his brother, Samson, make pour overs, cappuccinos and lattes. Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY

Cafe Brioso founder Jeff Davis prepares a mug of coffee at one of his downtown Columbus shops. Davis roasts beans from small co-ops and micro-lots in Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil and Peru, offering various styles of pour-over coffee that change throughout the week, as well as single-origin espresso. "I just want to buy the best coffee possible and minimally handle it and share it with everyone," Davis says.(Photo: Wendy Pramik, for USA TODAY)

A cooperative spirit among entrepreneurs has led to a buzzing coffee scene in Columbus, Ohio, that’s steeped in tradition and fueled by creativity.

Columbus is a melting pot of enterprisers, its residents a blend of locals, transplants and newbies drawn by business and academia. People here are willing to take risks if they think those risks will lead to something great.

Or at least something hot.

In Columbus, you’ll find coffee from well-established roasters, such as Café Brioso and Stauf’s Coffee Roasters, incorporated into specialty drinks throughout the city, with newcomers such as One Line Coffee and Mission Coffee Co. also supplying shop owners with unique roasts.

“There's a great coffee culture in Columbus,” says Tom Griesmer, who founded Stauf’s in 1988. “We care about each other and support one another. Competition isn't competition. It just raises awareness."

Once business owners have secured the beans they like, their ideas start to percolate.

In Columbus you can find a latte topped with hand-whipped vanilla bean cream, a coffee served with sweetened condensed milk that's inspired by drinks in the Canary Islands, and a playful espresso that's made with activated charcoal, honey and lavender.

A few years ago, several representatives of the specialty coffee community teamed up with Experience Columbus, the city’s visitor’s bureau, to establish the Columbus Coffee Trail. The eight founding members have seen their group more than double. Today there are 17 establishments on the brew route, including roasters, coffee shops and retailers.

And there’s significant know-how in the local industry, including longtime Stauf’s president Mark Swanson and Greg Ubert, founder of Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea, which supplies 1 million pounds of coffee annually to shop owners and customers around the country.

In many cases, success builds upon success, and the industry players encourage each other to reach for the crème de la crème.

“We have such a surprisingly deep heritage in the specialty coffee business,” says Andy Dehus with Columbus Food Adventures, which runs a coffee tour. "Columbus has a lot of independent coffee shops that I believe are putting out specialty coffee drinks at a level of quality that is indistinguishable from cities that are far more acknowledged for their coffee scenes."

See for yourself in the photos above, and explore more flavors of Ohio below.

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Established in 1876, Ohio's North Market is a feast for the senses. Located near the Greater Columbus Convention Center, it features 35 independently-owned merchants selling a cornucopia of food and related items in a 44,000-square-foot space. Wendy Pramik

Open seven days a week, the North Market returns to its roots on Saturdays during the growing season. That’s when Ohio farmers, including Eli Yoder and his daughters, Rhoda and Laura, of Blossom Acres in Millersburg, Ohio, converge on the outdoor plaza to offer fresh fruits and vegetables. Wendy Pramik

Rick Harrison Wolfe, executive director of the North Market, got his start in the fashion business in Los Angeles. Now he’s focused on preserving the hip factor of the historic market, which draws more than 1.5 million people a year. Wendy Pramik

Titus Harrison enjoys a cup of ice cream with his dad, Brandon, at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, which got its start in the North Market in 2002. The artisanal treat made with cream from grass-fed Ohio cows is now sold around the nation. Wendy Pramik

Adrian Miller, general manager of Hot Chicken Takeover, displays the fresh, flavorful fowl that drives droves of central Ohioans to the eatery on the North Market’s second floor. But the cluck doesn’t stop there. The restaurant also proudly employs workers who were at one time incarcerated. Mike Pramik

Lan Pham presents a bowl of grilled chicken and rice, one of the many Vietnamese specialties served at Lan Viet Market. Other economically-priced delicacies include shrimp rolls, bean-sprout salad and a bowl of pho – a delicate rice noodle soup made with sliced beef, basil, cilantro and bean sprouts. Wendy Pramik

Jerry Bullock of North Market Poultry and Game brings fresh meats – including bison, pheasant, rabbit and venison – from small Ohio farms to Columbus. Here, Bullock exhibits his popular kabobs. Wendy Pramik

Doug Denny displays a mahi-mahi at The Fish Guys in the North Market, where line-caught fish from sustainable fisheries are the mainstay. “We’re landlocked in Columbus, so we’re just trying to provide the freshest seafood to the people," Denny says. Wendy Pramik

Katie Levesque of Katie's Beef Jerky poses at her pop-up stand in the North Market. She offers the to-go-conscious crowd meats that are vacuum packed to preserve exotic flavors such as black cherry bourbon, teriyaki and brown-sugar pineapple. Wendy Pramik

Mike Kast and the North Market go way back. At Curds & Whey, he’s the resident expert on gourmet cheeses. He scouts out more than 500 of them – from Asiago to Zamorano – found around the globe. Wendy Pramik

Better Earth, as viewed from the second floor of the market, is the go-to spot for eco-conscious shoppers looking to stock their bathroom cabinets with natural toiletries and their pantries with Amish-made jams, pickled beets and pie fillings. Wendy Pramik

Sarah Cheah, senior pastry cook at Pistacia Vera, prepares Apple Galette made with puff pastry, camembert cheese and apples peeled one at a time the old fashioned way with a hand-cranked peeler. Wendy Pramik

Cole Henry Jones of Barrel and Bottle offers a growler of India Pale Ale from the Columbus Brewing Co. The Buckeye State recently passed a law to allow patrons to carry beer and wine throughout the market. Wendy Pramik

Amy Kavanaugh, left, and her daughters, Chelsea and Erin, take a break on an oversized Adirondack chair outside the Findlay Market. “Coming to the market is a fun weekend activity for us,” Amy says. Wendy Pramik

Opened in 1855, Findlay Market is Ohio's oldest municipal market house. It has a wrought iron frame, which was rare for the time, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Wendy Pramik

De Stewart takes a whiff of Bezar, a fragrant spice mix from the United Arab Emirates. Stewart has operated Colonel De Gourmet Herbs & Spices inside the Findlay Market, one of the company’s four locations, for a decade. “We’re all about people trying to eat well,” says Stewart, who admired fried chicken king Colonel Harland Sanders while growing up in Louisville. Wendy Pramik

Nik O’Brien, an employee of Taste of Belgium, prepares The Traditional crepe. Specializing in Belgian-style waffles, Taste of Belgium has expanded beyond its market roots to include three Cincinnati restaurants as well as one in the North Market in Columbus. Wendy Pramik

Renee Miller, of Bouchard’s, works with son Jody Miller unwrapping balls of fresh pasta as employee Tarak Bahawi looks on. The Millers attended culinary school together in South Carolina and now operate the popular Findlay Market business, offering pastas and baked goods. Wendy Pramik

Melissa Englehart began baking bread with a sourdough starter more than two decades ago. She has kept it going since and now operates Em’s Sourdough Bread in the Findlay Market. “I’ve been feeding this starter for 25 years,” Englehart says. “That’s crazy.” Wendy Pramik

The Indian chickpea salad is one of the dozens of prepared foods offered by Fresh Table in the Findlay Market. Fresh Table also offers plenty of locally sourced, sustainable dishes both at the market stand and through catering. It’s all made in the compact, four-station professional kitchen at the market location. Wendy Pramik

For something really cool, stop by Dojo Gelato. Owner Michael Christner spent time at the Berkey Creamery at Penn State University to perfect crafting the chilly Italian delight. The family-owned business also prepares top-rate espresso. Wendy Pramik

Jeannette Werle displays a strawberry-chocolate cake at her Cake Rack Bakery at Findlay Market. Werle turns out luscious cakes, croissants, cookies and other baked goods using fine ingredients and classic techniques. “I’ve been at Findlay for eight years because it’s so diverse, and people are welcoming,” Werle says. “Most of all they’re foodies, and they know what good food is.” Wendy Pramik

Dana Hagedorn displays cocoa beans and nibs used to make chocolate bars at Maverick Chocolate, a bean-to-bar craft chocolatier. Maverick imports organic beans from Central America and South America and, using a five-week production process, makes a variety of high-quality confections. Wendy Pramik

Effie Smith offers Reiki Energy blend tea at Churchill's Fine Teas, located outside the Findlay Market building. Churchill’s offers more than 260 varieties of loose teas and matchas from around the world. Founder Kathleen Kern is a London native and proudly displays a photo of herself with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Wendy Pramik

Mike Silverglade runs Silverglade’s deli, a market fixture for three generations at various locations. Now located in a building across the street from the market, the deli offers a bounty of meats, cheeses, pastas, olives, pickles and baked items. “When we touch something we don’t to it half – we do it full tilt,” Silverglade says. Wendy Pramik

Barb Heist, of Heist Fish and Poultry, holds a pair of white bass at her store inside Findlay Market. There has been some iteration of a market store operated by the Heist family since 1931. Wendy Pramik

Bryan and Carolyn Madison have operated Madison's at Findlay Market since 1996. Bryan retired from Procter & Gamble as a chemist to open the store, which sells fruit, vegetables, milk and bread, all with local ties. Wendy Pramik

Bob Thiffault grills meat outside of Eckerlin Meats, a family-owned business that has sold steaks, sausages and other meats in Cincinnati since the mid-19th century. Today the company’s sole retail location is at Findlay Market. Wendy Pramik

Amber Hunt and husband Elijah Van Benschoten share a laugh with their 2-year-old son, Hunt Van Benschoten, at Findlay Market. The couple from nearby Union Township says they visit the market nearly every weekend, in part because it’s blocked off from traffic, making it safe for Hunt to play. Wendy Pramik

Live music is an attraction at the Findlay Market beer garden, where visitors can find good eats such as Eli’s BBQ, which offers pulled pork, ribs, smoked turkey and a variety of tasty side dishes. Wendy Pramik

John Gaudio Jr., of Gaudio’s Produce, and customer Sharon Flowers Richardson display some of the freshly picked cabbages that the produce stand offers. The company’s roots go back six generations. Wendy Pramik

Several varieties of hummus are always on sale at Summuh (“hummus” spelled backwards) at the Findlay Market. Summuh uses certified organic beans to handcraft creative flavors such as Wazzup Doc! made with garbanzo beans, carrots and cumin. Wendy Pramik

Alicia Jackson displays the homemade jalapeno bread at Nay Nay’s, which operates on Fridays and Saturdays at Findlay Market’s Farmers Market. She says the spicy loaf is the stand’s top seller. Wendy Pramik